8A.1 Comparatives of equality

Punto di partenza
Comparatives of equality (comparativi di uguaglianza) are
used to indicate that two people, things, or qualities are equal.
In Italian, comparisons of equality are expressed with (così)...
come and (tanto)... quanto.
Lei è così alta come lui.
She is as tall as he is.
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È tanto gentile quanto ubbidiente.
He is as kind as he is obedient.
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•
With adjectives or adverbs, use either of the
following constructions. Both are equivalent to
as + [adjective/adverb] + as in English.
(così) + [adjective or adverb] + come
(tanto) + [adjective or adverb] + quanto
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Così and tanto are optional in these constructions with
adjectives and adverbs, and are frequently omitted.
Rita guida (tanto) bene
quanto Mario.
Rita drives as well as Mario.
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La mia macchina era (così)
bella come la tua.
My car was as beautiful as yours.
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L’autobus non sarà
veloce come il taxi.
The bus won’t be as fast
as a taxi.
© and ® 2011 Vista Higher Learning, Inc.
La cintura è necessaria
quanto i freni.
The seatbelt is as necessary
as the brakes.
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When using pronouns after come and quanto, use
disjunctive pronouns, which you learned in Lezione 4A.
È bello come me il
tuo ragazzo?
Is your boyfriend as
handsome as I am?
© and ® 2011 Vista Higher Learning, Inc.
L’autista è tanto brava
quanto te.
The driver is as good as
you are.
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When comparing nouns, use only tanto... quanto
(as many/much... as). Note that tanto and quanto
agree in gender and number with the nouns that
follow them, and tanto cannot be omitted.
In questa città ci sono tanti
motorini quante macchine.
In this city there are as many
scooters as cars.
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Ho visto tanti controllori sul
treno quanti passaggeri.
I saw as many ticket collectors
on the train as passengers.
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To make comparisons with verbs, use (tanto) quanto
(as much as) together after the verb. Tanto is optional.
Dottore, Lei non guida (tanto)
quanto me.
Doctor, you don’t drive as much as
I do.
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Giosuè ha frenato (tanto)
quanto l’altra autista.
Giosuè braked as much as the
other driver.
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Viaggia tanto
quanto voi?
Does she travel as much
as you do?
© and ® 2011 Vista Higher Learning, Inc.
Ha speso quanto me
per il pieno.
He spent as much as I did
on gas.
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Scegli la forma corretta per completare le
frasi seguenti.
1. Rita guida (tanto / tanti) bene (quanto / quante) Mario.
2. Questa università è (tanta / tanto) grande (quanta / quanto)
l’università dove vai tu.
3. Edoardo mangia (così / come) educatamente (così / come) Giorgio.
4. Anna ha (tanto / tanti) pantaloni (quante / quanti) gonne.
5. Questo computer si blocca (tante / tanto) (quanto / quanti)
quel computer.
6. Lucilla è (così / come) bella (così / come) Maria.
7. Ti piace nuotare (tanta / tanto) (quante / quanto) giocare a tennis?
8. Alessandro è (tanti / tanto) intelligente (quanto / quante) divertente.
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